Awesome video! Was on Padre Island without my TI a few months ago. From both the water and the airplane it looked like Texas has a lot of good sailing.

As to the cold and wet -- I recently discovered, as many on the forum have, that sailing from the rear cockpit is much drier, and thus warmer. I also discovered from the forum that it is not necessary to modify the TI to do so. Many here have rerouted the main sheet and / or furling line with pulleys etc. But Hobie set it up so you can simply move to the rear cockpit and grab what was the tail end of the main sheet, and make it the working end. You also need to tie the new working end of the main sheet to the end of the furling line -- unless you have really long arms.

I stay drier two ways: 1) Most of the spray falls short of the rear seat, and 2) The raised bow does not produce as much spray.

Thanks for the advise. I agree sailing from the rear seat is dryer and the bow cuts over instead of through any swell. This was only my third trip since purchasing so I'm still in the experimental stage! Sailed from the rear, front and even way out on the tramps trying to steer with my feet wrapped over the rudder.I originally bought the TI to go rig fishing in the gulf after I became fed up of paddling my Mirage 13 back, but so far I have just had way to much fun sailing!

Thanks for sharing the video. I think we have all experienced our first big thrill when all the stars align, or in this case wind and waves, making conditions perfect for us Islanders. There has been debate whether or not to teather yourself to the Island once you get out of the hull to the tramps or hakas. Mainly because if you go overboard, the Island still keeps going in a pretty straight line. The decision is yours but it's something to keep in the back of your mind.

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Don't take life too seriously................it ain't permanent.

Last edited by Slaughter on Fri Mar 08, 2013 1:38 am, edited 1 time in total.

Great point and something that was nagging at me when i was on the tramps.

I wasn't sure how straight the boat would keep going but I knew no matter what it would be faster than I could swim!

Ok, so here's the practical question - where do you attach to the boat and also where to yourself? In one of the forums I remember someone suggesting a surf board tether around the ankle, but I'm not sure what would happen with full sail, stiff wind and dragging a body to Cuba! Has anyone actually tried any of this in a stiff wind?

I'm one that uses a surfboard leash attached to the rear aka and then on my ankle when needed. I don't think even a TI would go far with a body in the water being dragged. When I use a drift chute, the boat can hardly move and it's less drag than a body!

KayakingBob, I'm still a newbie and still in total awe of the fun I am having in the TI. I know you're right but its fun to imagine my butt being pulled across the Gulf like skipping rocks on a pond! As soon as the water warms up a bit and I have someone riding with me I'm going to give this a try; in fact a better idea will be to invite a friend and throw them in, that way I won't have to wait for warmer water!I will let you know